An Ainu's Path
by Ozymandeos
Summary: The Ainur who stayed behind in the Timeless Halls have always watched the happenings in Arda. But only one who chose to stay behind was outraged by Melkor's actions, and the fall of Sauron and several other Maiar into his servitude. So she asked Eru's permission to go forth into the world and correct Sauron's wrongs. She failed, but now she is given a chance at redemption.
1. Prologue: I Awake

**Author's Note: I'm not completely sure what's going to happen in this yet, or even if it'll be more than a one-shot. It's just an idea I can't throw from my head… sooo, here's the latest work from my brain.**

* * *

Prologue: I Awake

_An insistent tugging rose at the edge of my consciousness, relentlessly pulling at the black void that had for eons been my mind. Slowly, oh so slowly, I awakened to the gentle touch of Father's thoughts. I rejoiced in the gentle music of my brother and sister Ainur that drifted into my fogged mind from where they still dwelled, from where I had merely existed until Eru himself had allowed me into Arda._

_As I awoke further, my thoughts began to rush and jumble together until my eyes snapped open in the eternal darkness beneath the ice. My memory returned, and along with it the events that had led to my long sleep at the peak of the world. I remembered the joyous existence in the Timeless Halls, the unending music of pulsing life, and further back into the creation of Ea. The departure of so many of my fellow Ainur into this world._

_I vividly remembered watching the betrayal of Melkor, and the many hardships he brought to Arda. Remembered the many wars between my Valar kin and him, the final battle in which he was cast out into the Void which surrounded everything._

_I remember crying out with emotions seldom felt, sobbing into Father's robes, as great strife was brought to his creation. The burning of unnatural anger as I realized that two of the fallen Maiar had survived the wars, and that the Valar had left the traitorous Ainur alive. I had begged to be allowed to descend into the world unbound, to use the power that Eru had tutored me with to bring the traitors to justice._

_I remembered my failure… the challenge to Sauron that he answered soon after forging his ring. The calamitous battle in the far north of the land, in the twisting ice fields at the edge of Arda where my power was greatest. I had underestimated his power, been cast down through a great rent in the Earth itself. My physical form and spirit both survived, buried beneath miles of ice, as the world changed around me. But while Sauron could not destroy me utterly, our powers were far too closely matched for that, he had locked my mind away._

_Now the gentle caress of Eru's spirit had roused me from the darkness, giving me a chance at redemption. Sauron had been fought and defeated many times since I fell, but he still survived. Even Eru's direct intervention hadn't banished his spirit, even as it rounded the world and sunk islands. He was now rising again to threaten Eru's Children, and still the Valar did nothing. The free peoples of Middle-Earth would fall under his chain once more, unless unlikely odds were beaten and his ring destroyed. _

_As I sped through the ice, the water, and the soil I knew one thing. I would be lending my help to the forming alliance, whether they accepted it or not. _


	2. Chapter One: I crash a Secret Council

**Author's Note: This begins at the end of Elrond's secret council (I choose to have the company chosen at it, as it is in the movies). Note, it won't be exactly like the book, not even close(mainly because I cannot remember how certain parts went exactly). Huge plot changes will occur to fit my storyline… if I continue it.**

* * *

Chapter One: I Crash a Secret Council

For the first time in many ages the warmth of sunlight was beat down on my body. As my form solidified once more, I felt rough rock against my palms. It still amazed me how much more vivid the sensations in Arda were. The ringing in my ears faded out and let me hear voices raised in argument; a novel experience for me after the peace of the Timeless Halls.

My eyes blinked open, squinting against the light, and vague shapes snapped into focus. I was surrounded by Eru's children, who were arguing among themselves about a ring. I picked out humans, elves, and dwarves arguing, along with a curious creature that was shorter than even the dwarves. But even as the argument grew quieter and more eyes turned to look at me, my eyes were drawn to a figure who was positively oozing power. I recognized him instantly as one of the Ainur, though whether he was a Vala or a Maia I didn't know.

"Olorin." I stood, slightly unsteady on my feet at first, and turned to face the main gathering of people.

"Rizalia. I…" Olorin seemed stunned to see me. But why wouldn't he? I had chosen to stay in the Timeless Halls rather than come into Arda, and he knew that. His physical form seemed old, almost like a human's, but underneath I could see his immortal form. "… I didn't think that I would see you or any of the others that stayed behind until after Dagor Dagorath."

"Nor did I. We in the Timeless Halls have been watching events down here. I saw Melkor's betrayal, and all the wars that led up to his banishment. I thought everything was done then, as did the Valar. But as I saw they did nothing to stop Sauron from taking up his old master's evil, I grew angry. And so I asked Eru to allow me to come down and fix it."

"They did not, as you say, do nothing. They sent me and four other Maiar to help the free peoples of Middle-Earth." He paused, tightening his grip on the gnarled wooden staff he held, before continuing. "Besides, you're several thousand years late to stop Sauron."

I frowned at that. "You think I don't know that? I came down to Arda before the sinking of Numenor, many years before you left the Undying Lands. I thought I could defeat Sauron, drawing him to the ice at the edge of the world where my power was greatest. But I was wrong… he struck me down, hurling me into a chasm our fight had carved down into the roots of the Arda. Only now have I recovered enough to return to Middle Earth."

"We'll talk more later. For now, speak this age's common tongue. Only a few of these people know that I am a Maia, and none know the full extent of the power we wield, so don't show them it if you can. None of them can understand the Original Tongue either." Gandalf gave me a brief nod, which I returned.

I only just noticed that Olorin seemed to tower over me. In fact… even the dwarves were taller than my form. Only the strange shortened human was similar in height to me.

"Gandalf… who is this, and what is a little girl doing in a secret council like this?" I frowned at being called a little girl. But I kept my tongue still and took a closer look at the area I was in.

I could see out over what seemed to be an Elven city, and my more immediate surroundings consisted of people and a semi-enclosed stone courtyard. A raised table whose top I could barely see was the only thing that stood out. I stepped back, hissing and covering my eyes.

"What in Ilúvatar's name is Sauron's Ring doing here!" I screamed in the common tongue as the afterimage of the ring burned in my vision. It's physical form was but a simple golden ring, but underneath I could see the burning flames of anger, hatred, and malice that the fallen Maia had poured into it.

"I must apologize, this is an apprentice of mine, to whom I thought I made it clear that she was to stay away from here." The look in his eyes told me to just go along with what he was saying, so I did. "She has great ability, but little practical knowledge after living her young life sheltered."

"Well, keep her under control. We don't need any more distractions until we have decided who will carry the Ring to its destruction." A dark-haired elf sighed as he rubbed at his forehead.

It was silent for a few seconds, until the short creature spoke. "I'll take it."

"Frodo, we can't ask that of you. You almost died getting the Ring here, your duty is done." Olorin pointed out. I filed away in my thoughts to call him Gandalf whenever we spoke in the common tongue, and that the small creature's name was Frodo. There must be a lot more to him than even I could see if he'd borne that accursed ring for any length of time.

"You're not asking me, I'm telling you that I'm doing it. There's really no other choice; The dwarves will never accept an elf as the bearer, and any human would be corrupted by the power. The only logical solution is for me to bear it to Mordor and Mount Doom."

"As much as I regret to send our young hobbit here on such a dangerous journey, I see no other way. So, now we must decide who will accompany Frodo." Spoke the elf from before.

"I'm the one who dragged Bilbo off on the quest to Erebor, so I'm responsible for the ring emerging again. My apprentice and I will accompany Frodo and see this mission through."

A dwarf snorted and then scoffed at me. "I refuse to go on a dangerous quest with a helpless girl who's still wet behind the ears. She'll just slow us down."

"Gimli..." Olorin began, before I cut him off with a wave of my hand and a few words in our tongue.

"Olorin, from what I've observed of the mortal races, proving myself will do far more than any words on your part could. Allow me to handle this."

My fellow Ainu nodded and fell silent, as did everyone else as I angrily stormed up to the dward who had spoken. I let the form around my eyes loosen and fade, showing through to the shimmering power and spirit that was me, in a trick I had learned during the brief time that I had walked Arda before challenging Sauron.

It had the desired effect, causing the dwarf to take a step back in fear as uncertainty flickered in his gaze.

"What are you..." He began, but his voice choked off as I raised my arm and tapped into the barest extent of my power. Icy fingers squeezed at his neck just hard enough to panic him, but not hard enough to do any serious harm. At the same time, the air around him chilled until frost formed in his beard and his breath plumed out in clouds of white vapor.

I relaxed the magical grip on his throat as I asked a question. "So, Dwarf, who's helpless now? Oh right, it's you. Know that I could have done far worse to you than this next time you say that I'll be slowing you down." The steel and venom in my voice weren't real. Sure, I was slightly angry at him, but I didn't understand the emotional extremes of Ilúvatar's children. They were at times so unlike the Ainur that it made me wonder how we had all come from Father's mind. I was just mimicking what I'd seen make an impression during the time I had spent watching Arda.

"I take it that there are no more objections to me coming along?" I released my grip and drew all of my power back into myself. The dwarf, Gimli I believe his name was, slumped to the ground shivering as bruises formed on his neck. I turned and walked over to stand next to Olorin, crossing my arms across my chest and letting what I thought looked like a smug grin cross my face. An awkward silence continued until one of the humans broke the silence.

"I like this one! To have such fight in her she must be of Gondor's stock!" He chuckled and stood from where he'd been seated. "I, of course, intend to lend my blade and mind to this quest to preserve Gondor's interests. As long as she can handle it, I have no qualms about the apprentice accompanying us."

He walked over to stand by me, Olorin, and the hobbit Frodo.

"For once, I actually agree with Boromir. I don't care if she comes, as long as she can keep up. But if by my life or by my death I can aid this quest, I will." The other human came over to join us, standing on the opposite side from this 'Boromir'.

I tuned out the rest of the conversation, as my eyes were irresistibly drawn to the ring. I knew it was the heart of Sauron's power… that his fire and dark spells came from it. That it embodied the exact opposite of me… but even after seeing the evil inside it, I was tempted. It would make me stronger than I'd ever been… maybe even stronger than Melkor had been.

Olorin seemed to guess at my thoughts, and his hand dropping on my shoulder jolted me out of them. I tore my eyes from the pedestal where the ring lay, and mentally berated myself. I couldn't think like that… I was here to stop Sauron and others like him, not become like them. The ring was more dangerous than I'd estimated if it's mere presence had started to corrupt my thoughts.

"…you'll be the Fellowship of the Ring. One more member than I would've preferred… but after seeing what she did to Gimli it wouldn't be in any of our best interests to tell her no." A few chuckles went up around the gathered people at that. Counting me and Olorin, the company totaled at ten: four hobbits, two humans, one elf, and one dwarf.

"You have two days to gather supplies and prepare. After that you must depart on the road to Mordor." The dark haired elf declared, and everyone split to go about their separate ways. After a minute only me an Olorin were left in the courtyard.

"Well, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into Rizalia. Do what you will for the next two days, just be sure to meet us at the exit by noon on the second day." And with that the Maia walked off.

After a few minutes of thought, I set off toward the small waterfall I could see in the distance.


End file.
